Eliot Smith Dance: Triple Bill @ Sage Gateshead - Nov 27

(Review by Russell)

Bebop Spoken Here is up for most things and an evening of contemporary dance at Sage Gateshead held few fears. The main attraction for this jazz blog was the world premiere of Jason Holcomb's commissioned piece titled Sacrification for choreographer Eliot Smith's Poppy. 

The five-strong troupe - two female dancers and three male dancers including Smith - took to the stage in a darkened Sage Two daubed in the filth and mud of WWI trenches. Barefoot, the Eliot Smith dancers moved across a poppy-strewn field/stage as the first notes of Jason Holcomb's trombone rang out across the auditorium. Dressed in black and fitted with a radio mic, Holcomb moved around the hall, first one side then another, continuing to play as he exited one door, reappearing seconds later on an upper level, all the while the on-stage dancers reacting to the trombonist's composition. 

The commissioned work for trombone ensemble and percussion took the form of Holcomb's solo performance integrating with pre-recorded multi-tracked trombone and percussion parts emanating from stage-side speakers. 

Jazz content was, effectively, absent from Holcomb's piece. At its conclusion Sage Two's audience responded with enthusiastic applause as Holcomb and Smith's troupe took a collective bow. 

Earlier, Eliot Smith Dance performed two pieces; Froth on the Daydream (choreography Mathieu Geffré) and Artemis Clown (choreography Rosie Kay). Froth on the Daydream featured, in part, a jazz soundtrack. First Duke Ellington, then Louis Armstrong playing and singing La Vie en Rose. Unexpected, but very much a jazz bonus!

Artemis Clown for solo dancer (Gemma Paganelli) highlighted the physical nature of contemporary dance. Every breath, every strained sinew, laid bare in a captivating 16 minutes. 

(Russell)

Jason Holcomb - composer, trombone

Eliot Smith Dance: Eliot Smith, Giacomo Pini, Paloma Galiana Moscardo, April Martin, Gemma Paganelli, Niall Tyzack-Carlin (dancers), Eliot Smith, Mathiey Geffré, Rosie Kay (choreography).